All of the "they fought along side of us" stuff really pisses me off.

[SuprstitionAintthWay]

16. The common assumption is parts of Iran Turkey and Syria would also try to break away.

Another possibility, though, is the freedom-aspiring Kurds in those countries might choose instead to migrate to the new, free homeland. Thereby strengthening it, and not getting themselves massacred in those other countries.

That's a bit of an idealistic hope, I realize. But the U.S. could do quite a bit to discourage Kurds outside of the present northern Iraq from rebelling. By, for example, stressing we will not support those breakaway movements (well, maybe NE Syrian Kurds'?... we'd have to see), and pressuring the Kurdistan national govt to do the same.

There is a risk of turmoil, I agree. One has to weigh the relative risks, such as of wider conflict, against what is being gained, geo-politically, and in human rights. It can be a difficult calculation to make, but there are things that are worth fighting for.